Terrors in the Night
by fmfan1980
Summary: This story is based on one theory that there is something evil from the Long Night locked away beneath Winterfell, and that there should always be a Stark present to make sure it stays locked away. There are no more Starks, and so the evil that was once locked away is now free. Post-burning of Kings Landing. Finally got this AU out of my head. (2nd Feb 2020: Edit to Ch 1 and 2)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to the characters, locations, or plots from Game of Thrones. They belong to their respective owners without whom this fanfiction would not have been possible. All reviews are welcome.

**Aegon; White Harbour. **

It had been nearly six years since Aegon stepped onto the main dock at White Harbour, or rather what used to be White Harbour. It had been six years since he set foot in the North after the burning of Kings Landing and what would be whispered amongst the remnants of the Northern Houses as the Great Betrayal. Even after so many years, people were still divided on who betrayed who that fateful day. In the North, it was widely known that the man who was proclaimed by the Dragon Queen as Aegon Targaryen was the betrayer, and the South had their evil villain – Sansa Stark, the Usurper Who Burned.

To Aegon though, it was clear who was at fault that day as he looked up at the grey clouds above while snow floated down onto his bearded face. Closing his eyes, he remembered the voice of the one he betrayed – it was so clear in the back of his mind as if the two of them talked only yesterday.

He still remembered the Dothraki guards outside Sansa's chambers while the rest of the Queen's army – both Dothraki and Unsullied – began scouring the North for both Arya and Bran. As his footwear crunched into the already thick layer of snow on the wooden dock, Aegon remembered the two Dothraki – one of whom he would later learn had spoken of wanting to rape the Lady on the other side of the door – opened the wooden door to reveal her back towards him.

**Winterfell, six years ago; 3 months after the burning of Kings Landing.**

Aegon called for her, but she never turned around. Closing the door behind him, Aegon then took a few steps forward before asking why she betrayed his confidence. He demanded to know why she told Tyrion the secret she swore not to tell anyone. And there was no answer.

Sansa just stared out the window towards the distant red leaves of the Heart-tree in the godswood.

Aegon then proceeded to tell Sansa that the Northern lords had been ordered to come to Winterfell to bend the knee, _"and they refused their Queen's order. They refused my order as well, Sansa."_ He told her that if she didn't intervene, then she was to be executed for treason against the rightful queen of the seven kingdoms. Aegon begged her – he told her to bend the knee, because then Daenerys would send her into exile with Arya and Bran, _"the three of you would be alive"._ He reiterated that if Sansa continued to defy the Dragon Queen, then she was going to be an example of what would happen if the North continued to rebel against the throne.

"_Do you know what this means?!" _Aegon had exclaimed, back then, while raising his left arm as he stepped forward_, "Sansa, you…"_

"_She seeks to blame me for her mistakes," _Sansa said as Aegon stopped, his extended arm still as if it was frozen in place just before his hand could rest on her shoulder,_ "she seeks to blame me for creating a wall between you and her, she seeks to blame me for Tyrion and Varys' deaths, and she seeks to blame me for the burning of Kings Landing." _

Sansa told him that Bran saw what she did as she flew Drogon over the capital. She told him that Arya confirmed it after she returned to Winterfell covered in ash and blood after riding out of the city as it burned. Sansa icily said, "_Daenerys chose her own way. She chose to burn the city, she chose to burn Varys, and she chose to burn Tyrion."_ And with her back still to Aegon, Sansa continued, "_she made that choice on her own. and she has you wrapped around her finger." _Before Aegon could say anything, Sansa scoffed, "_you and the Dragon Invader will never find Arya and Bran again." _

"_Sansa, please, I…"_

Sansa looked over her shoulder with those blue Tully eyes for a few moments before looking away.

"_Ask the question you came to ask. Ask it again, and I will answer you… only you."_

"_Why?" _Aegon begged_, "why would you break your oath to me, and…."_

"_Fear, Aegon."_

Aegon froze as he stared at the back of Sansa's head,_ "Sansa…" _He was about to ask her not to call him by that name, that he was still Jon. HE wanted to tell her that Daenerys could change, that she had a plan to make the world a better place – that she would atone for what was done in Kings Landing. But no words escaped his lips as he thought,_ 'you feared her?' _

But before he could say that there was nothing to fear, that all she had to do was bend the knee, Sansa said, "_Fear…. I saw the fear on Tyrion's face before you led the Northern army to the South. If your Queen's former Hand was in abject fear of her, then what chance did the rest of us have. I told you I will not be like father… I will not let a misdirected sense of honour guide my actions when my family is in danger, and I told you the Dragon Queen was a danger to us all. I swore to you that I would keep your secret because we are family, but when I saw how much Tyrion feared her… So, I asked Tyrion what he would do if there was a better person who could lead us."_

"_San…."_

"_The North remembers, Aegon," _Sansa whispered, and Aegon pressed his lips together_, "the Jon Snow I once knew died the moment he bent the knee, again, to the Queen who burned innocents in Kings Landing." _Sansa looked over her shoulder once again_, "you are Aegon the Sixth, of House Targaryen now."_

"_Please, Sansa… please, just bend the knee." _Aegon begged her, spinning her around roughly so that they could stare into each others eyes_, "please, I managed to convince her to exile you, Bran, and Arya. He wants to have your heads... please, I want you and the rest of my family to live. Please, she'll offer you exile... please, take it for me."_

"_You know nothing, Aegon," _Sansa whispered before he opened his eyes wide – memories of another woman with red hair coming to the forefront of his mind - before looking away_, "Bran's already seen what is to be. It took everything I had to convince Arya to take Bran away to where he needed to go. An__d after that, Arya has her own journey to complete_." Sansa sighed as Aegon looked back up at her with pleading eyes_, "your Queen has already made her decision. She will burn me. There is no exile… there never has been."_

"_No… I convinced her to…"_

"_You should go, Aegon."_

"_Jon. I'm always Jon…." _And Aegon's heart was crushed at the look Sansa gave him… a look that relayed how committed she was to not kneeling in front of the Mad King's daughter.

"_He died," _Sansa whispered looking into his eyes_, "I told you, the Jon Snow I knew died." _Aegon watched Sansa turn around before he had a look of anguish on his face. A heartbeat later, he turned and shuffled towards the door before walking out of the room.

That would be the last time he would see Sansa alive.

**White Harbour; Now.**

Aegon lowered his head and opened his eyes before looking over his shoulder at the fifty Unsullied and their horses gathering on the dock. He looked back out towards his front and saw nothing but destroyed buildings covered in snow with the bodies of those long dead laying out in the open. Their bodies were partially decomposed mainly due to the sudden cold that swept in several days after the execution of Sansa Stark and the gutting of Winterfell – even the crypts were not spared destruction as the Dothraki rampaged through the burial grounds of the ancient Starks on the Dragon Queen's orders despite her nephew begging her to let the dead rest. However, Daenerys sought to crush the very name of the House that the North followed without question.

Aegon could only watch helplessly as one Northern Lord after another fell – he was a prisoner of hers just as he was his lover and nephew. Aegon felt the hate and sense of betrayal of the Northerners who had been held hostage by the Dragon Queen back in Kings Landing, the very same men who followed him there to witness the burning of the city. Her Dothraki looked down on him, and the Unsullied were mostly emotionless when he returned to Kings Landing.

It was a massacre that ended the lives of many people in the once great Northern Houses – Manderly, Dustin, Reed, Talhart, Glover and many others. The North was always considered to be barren, now it was truly barren since there were a handful of people living there. The vast majority of surviving Northerners fled the burning of White Harbour, the burning of the Neck, and the burning of many other Northern strongholds to travel into the South where they settled over the next few years.

And now, Aegon was back in the North once again. He climbed onto his horse as did the other Unsullied, one of whom moved alongside him.

"It is summer, and still cold," the Unsullied said in an accented even voice as he looked up at the greyish sky. Aegon didn't answer as a feeling of great emptiness formed in the very pits of his soul. He had the chance to kill Daenerys after the rampage on Kings Landing, even Tyrion himself told him that the Dragon Queen would demand Sansa, Arya, and Bran kneel.

"_She will come after your sisters, Jon. And you know they will not bend the knee," _Tyrion had said before being publicly burned after the dwarf tossed aside the pin identifying him as the Hand of the Queen.

Aegon knew Tyrion was right, they would never bend the knee… he knew that Daenerys would demand retribution for Sansa's betrayal. He knew they were in danger, but he still loved Daenerys Targaryen – she was his lover, his aunt, and his queen. Aegon had the dagger in the sheath on his hip… all he had to do was distract the Dragon Queen before shoving the dagger into her chest. But he didn't, and the Realm… as well as the free cities and many other places in Essos… were paying the price. Daenerys wanted to rule the world, and she now had the power to do so with nothing stopping her.

Aegon shook the memories away and looked over at the Unsullied calling himself Red Mite draw up next to him before saying, "the Queen's red priestess kept on baying about this Great Other in the North. It could have somehow stopped the ravens from Castle Black travelling to Kings Landing."

"The White Walkers were killed by the Queen," the man said as the group started to make their way up the docks and onto the snow covered streets of the city. Aegon glanced at the Unsullied next to him. He wanted to say that it wasn't the Queen who killed the Night King; it was a Stark. It was Arya… when all seemed lost, she was the one who saved them all. When the Queen made the decree that she was the one who killed the Night King, several of the Northmen in Kings Landing were outraged. Aegon tried to quell the threat towards the queen from his fellow men of the North… but the Queen sent the Unsullied to kill the rebellious Northmen.

'And I had to watch again.'

Aegon sighed, his breath condensing as he looked up at the cloudy sky once again. It was supposed to be summer…. It was supposed to be hot and muggy in the South. Instead it started to get colder and colder with each passing month after Winterfell was burned down. It was over the last year that the days were shorted with the skies over Kings Landing… over the rest of Westeros really… getting greyer and grey. Even the light from the sun was mostly blocked… their entire world now covered in shadow.

And now, over the past few months, snow was falling as far as Sunspear, Meeren, the Free Cities, Astapor, Volantis, and many other places. Then things started happening quickly; the sky grew darker thanks to the clouds block more light from the sun, and more snow started to fall. Then it was only last month that the Red Priests from Volantis arrived by ship to the Blackwater. Their chief priestess, Kinvara, requested an audience with Daenerys – who just returned after having conquered the city of Qarth – and spoke to her of the Great Other and that it was gaining power.

Kinvara said that the White Walkers and their minions were just the weapons of a time long past, and that the Great Other was preparing new weapons of Ice and darkness. She said that the Great Other was darkness itself, and that only the light of R'hllor could defeat it – and to defeat it, the Great Temple of R'hllor volunteered all its acolytes and Red Priests, as well as the Red Hand.

Kinvara proclaimed Daenerys to be Azor Ahai – the Princess who was Promised – and Drogon was her Lightbringer. Dany then sent Aegon with an escort of Unsullied to Castle Black – they had lost contact with the castle for the past months – with their port-of-call being White Harbour since the port at Eastwatch-by-the-sea was destroyed when the Wall fell six years ago. In the meantime, the army of the Red Priests and their acolytes were going to scour the lands north of Kings Landing – their mission was to destroy the Heart-Trees which were claimed to be the eyes and ears of the Great Other. It was something that Aegon objected to… but he was shot down; the only reason he wasn't burned at the stake was because of the Queen's protection.

Aegon helplessly sighed as the group began to gallop away up the road and farther and farther away from the docks. Being in the North distracted him with thoughts of his betrayal and his cowardice. He couldn't betray his Queen, his love, his aunt… he just couldn't. He loved her. Even after the fall of the North, he still loved her – and he was ashamed. He turned his back on the people he loved, and he found himself stuck in a hole where he simply wished to die.

And that was all he wanted to do. Die. Die and then beg forgiveness from the people he betrayed. Aegon gulped at the thought of passing Winterfell on the way to Castle Black, and he wondered in the back of his mind if the Queen sent him because of that very reason. To see her power… the power of many who whisper in the darkness that she is a great tyrant. House Stark, one of the oldest houses of Westeros fell, and no one was safe. It was a reminder that Aegon was bound to the Queen, and he knew he was helpless.

His duty was to keep the realm safe from a tyrant, but his love stayed his hand. His love was the death of his duty. And what remained of his family paid the price for his love.

As Aegon and the others galloped away, none of them noticed a fog gathering behind them. They did not notice the waters close to the docks and around the ship starting to freeze, although they did feel the wind getting colder while the snow fell harder as they galloped away. Once they were out of eyeshot of the ship, some of the dead bodies stirred… eyes opening to reveal bright blue orbs. While some of the bodies stood up on unsteady feet, the cold stirred the crew who were in the lower deck of the ship having some ale around a table.

Dead bodies rose from all around the area close to the docks, they then began walking towards the cobbled street. In the meantime, the crew were drinking when they suddenly sensed something to be very wrong. From their places around the table, they turned towards the entrance to the lower deck upon hearing the sound of footsteps 'thudding' down the stairs.

The crew grabbed what weapons they could find before stopping at the sight of the beautiful red haired woman, her skin flawless in its cream tone, entering the area. Shea was wearing what could only be described as black armour covered with a layer of ice. Their eyes shifted towards the sword in her right hand – the pommel and the cross guard was as black as coal, and the blade seemed as if it was made of blue transparent crystal with edges that were hard to make out. It was unlike any sword – whether it be steel, Valerian Steel, or dragon glass. Her bright blue eyes stared at them just before, a moment later, a black raven flew down into the kitchen and landed on the table.

The crew could have sworn that the raven's eyes were white in colour as it cawed.

As the water around the ship continued to freeze outwards from its wooden hull, no one heard the screams of the men in the lower deck while they were cut down. Before long, the armoured woman stood among the bodies lying in the pooled blood on the floor and titled her head. She wordlessly commanded the dead men to rise.

And they did rise. They rose with shining blue eyes.

TBC

A/N: Rest of my stories will be updated very soon (by next month at the latest). Been busy with some real life stuff. Cheers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Daenerys; Winterfell, two months after the burning of Kings Landing.**

Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen could feel the cold from the solid stone floor underneath her feet as she strode towards the wooden door at the end of the hallway. Two of her Dothraki blood-riders stood on either side, both guarding the closed door in case someone tried to free the woman on the other side. In her mind, Sansa was a traitor… no matter what Aegon said and no matter how much he begged for mercy on behalf of the Stark girl… Sansa was a traitor. And there would be no place for traitors in the world she was building.

'There will be no mercy shown, Aegon,' Daenerys thought to herself as she remembered the man once known as Jon Snow in her arms once again while nearing the thick wooden door, 'I made that promise so that I would not see you upset. But I have no intention to give her the option for exile. There will be no more mercy from me.'

From the moment Daenerys was informed by Jon upon arriving at Winterfell that Arya and Bran were gone, she ordered more of her Unsullied and Dothraki to search the area around Winterfell and north of the ancient castle for Brandon and Arya Stark. That was a few hours ago, but even now there was no sign of them. Even Aegon – she loved saying that name; she liked how it slipped out of her mouth - had no idea where they had gone.

Nearing the door, Daenerys pressed her lips together as she remembered Sansa, Tyrion, Brandon, and Arya trying to tear her away from her nephew. Daenerys was upset at Aegon, how could she not be? She remembered clearly ordering him not to say anything to his sisters about who he really was in terms of his lineage, but he did anyway. And since then, everything began to fall apart.

She blamed the Starks for everything; the loss of her closeness with Jon, the loss of nearly half of her army, the loss of Missendei, the loss of her dragons, the loss of her very soul. And she blamed the North at large for not seeing her as their saviour, the one who brought the largest army in the known world to Westeros for the Northern War. After all, she kept thinking to herself, if she hadn't been convinced to participate in the Northern war against the Night King, then she would still have all three dragons and Kings Landing, and she would have the bulk of her Dothraki and her Unsullied forces.

'I saved them all,' she thought to herself with anger in her heart, 'and all I got from them, especially Sansa, was scorn. Eventually even Aegon was lost to me… my love was lost to me because of the secret of his parentage.' She stopped walking and glared at the door, 'find them… find the escaped Starks and then burn them to the seven hells. What the rest of the North has coming will ensure the rest of Westeros fears and respects me.' Daenerys started walking again, 'if I cannot have love, then I will command their fear.'

"I will regain the love I know you have for me," Daenerys whispered when her thoughts went back to Aegon.

A part of her was calling to give in to the dragon inside her… to give in to her dragon blood… and let fire and blood fall on her enemies. And Sansa was her enemy. Arya was her enemy. Brandon was her enemy. Even Sam was her enemy. Davos, and the North itself was her enemy. Her remaining enemies. All of them played a key role in the situation she found herself in.

The cowards in Kings Landing had already been punished when she purified the city. Now was only left the most traitorous region of her kingdom.

'Cowards,' she thought as she reached the door. Nodding her head, she silently ordered the Dothraki to open the thick wooden door to the red-haired traitor on the other side. Once the door opened, Daenerys caught sight of Sansa, the latter's back to her, staring out the window. As Daenerys walked into the chambers, the Dothraki held the door open. After all, she wasn't there to talk. Daenerys stopped just before reaching Sansa's fur lined bed. A smile formed on the Dragon Queen's face as her mind went back to the burning of Kings Landing months ago.

**Kings Landing, two months ago.**

It was quick, that was what Daenerys thought to herself as she landed Drogon on the walls of Kings Landing. She already destroyed the Iron Fleet defending the Blackwater, she already destroyed the scorpions lining the walls of Kings Landing, soon followed by the annihilation of the Golden Company. And once her armies took the streets of Kings Landing, Daenerys knew she won.

She knew it.

Once Drogon landed, his clawed feet gripping the walls of the city, Daenerys was already thinking about how to deal with the North. While she was scanning the conquered city with her eyes, her heart raced at the prospect of one more fight before she could tell herself that she had come home. However, before the campaign against the Northern traitors, she still had to deal with the traitorous Tyrion.

However, for this one small moment, she put aside the North and Tyrion as her eyes continued to slowly take in the city from her vantage point on Drogon's back; finally, she was in the city her ancestors had built so long ago. She was where she was always meant to be, she was home. No longer was she scrounging in Braavos with her brother, no longer was she in Pentos, or the Dothraki Sea, or Astapor, or Meereen. She was home. Her home. The home of Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon queens. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her heart.

She tried to remind herself that Westeros was now hers… the people had seen the power she wielded with only one dragon. She was sure that the rest of the kingdoms would surrender.

'No, after the North burns, only then would the whole of Westeros surrender,' she thought to herself, 'It is something that has to be done.' Daenerys mentally told herself that what was about to happen to the North would stabilise the realm for the rest of time.

'When the bells ring and the gates open, that means the city has surrendered!' Dany remembered Tyrion begging her the previous night, 'please, if they surrender, there is no need for anymore death.'

'Ah, Tyrion, you betrayed me, traitor,' Dany thought to herself as her eyes found the red keep, 'traitors…. So many traitors. Traitors in the North, and the traitor sitting on the Iron Throne. My Throne. Rhaegar's throne. My father's throne. And now it belongs to me by right and by conquest.' She focused her eyes on the castle in the distance as her mind tried to imagine the hell that went on the last time Kings Landing fell at the end of Robert's Rebellion.

She imagined her brother falling at the Trident. She imagined the Kingslayer killing her father, she imagined her mother dring. She imagined the death of her sister-by-law and her niece and nephew… in some ways she was doing this for them. She was returning the realm back to ones who built it so that their ghosts would lay in peace after demanding vengeance and a return of the dragons. Daenerys felt her heart racing as the voice of Jorah Mormont whispered in her ear that she was a dragon, that she had to take the city. Jorah's voice turned into the voice of Ollena Tyrell who said that Daenerys was a dragon, and that she should be a dragon.

'They hate me,' Daenerys thought to herself as she stared at the people running away from her dragon, 'all of them hate me. I came to free them and they hate me.'

And then the bells rang out. The city surrendered.

Daenerys snapped her head towards the nearest bell tower and closed her eyes as Tyrion's voice continued to whisper in her ear, 'please, your grace. When the bells have rung, that means the city has surrendered. There is no need for further death. I beg you.'

Daenerys opened her eyes before turning her head towards the red keep. She could imagined the city burning after Robert's Rebellion as the bells rang out, crying out its surrender. But all Daenerys focused on now was the Red Keep. Her mind yelling out that the city surrendered… the people surrendered. She felt her heart racing at thinking how easily they surrendered… how easy the people in this city gave in to conquerors and usurpers.

Once again, she imagined the deaths of her oldest brother, Rhaegar, and the death of Viserys… the latter's madness getting the better of him. Once again, she thought of how Aerys died at the hands of his Kingsguard, and at how her niece and nephew must have died at the hands of the Lannisters. She glared at the Red Keep as she imagined the people cheering the rise of the usurpers, of how the people were so willing to follow tyrants without a complaint.

The bells were a distant sound now. All Dany could hear was the rush of her blood and her rapid heartbeat. She could feel the heat from her dragon permeating up her legs and through her entire body as she imagined her kingdom being ripped apart by cowards and traitors.

'The people,' she scoffed as images of herself being carried by newly freed slaves and smallfolk rushed through her mind. Her memories of being loved by those of the cities she conquered in Essos were interspersed with mental images of the looks of hatred she felt from Sansa, the various Lords in the North, many of the smallfolk, and the Nobles in Essos, 'they would hate me… fear me… everything I did… everything I am… was for their love. That is all I wanted. Love. And all I get is fear… just fear… and…'

Dany then went back to imagining the corruption in kings landing. After all, how else could anyone allow a mad woman like Cersei to remain their queen. How could anyone not rise up against her?

'Yes, Tyrion did say that the people were afraid of the Lannisters, but that was an excuse,' Daenerys thought to herself, 'they should have risen up and fought. They should have yelled out loud for the dragons to come home!'

Dany closed her eyes as she shook her head before opening her eyes, the sight of the Red Keep reflected against the purple Targaryen eyes.

'They should see that I come to free them all. All of them… all of them… free them from their own avarice and sins,' Dany thought as she leaned forward on Drogon, 'they are corrupted. All of them… everyone in this wretched city is corrupted… they feed on corruption and fear.'

Dany ordered Drogon to take off into the air. She was going to cleanse the city. She was going to rebuild Kings Landing. The people who would occupy it again would love her. All of them would worship her.

'As they did in Meereen,' as Drogon flapped his massive wings, Daenerys was breathing hard and fast while she imagined cities falling at her feet… entire keeps, castles, and cities fearing her as she conquered them. She would take them… all of them. They mocked her… they mocked who she was, who her family was… they had taken everything. And with fire and blood, Daenerys was going to make all of them pay.

And the beginnings of her wide kingdom… her empire… would begin in Westeros. And it would start with the punishment of Kings Landing, and then the North.

Flying over the city, Dany whispered with a cold expression on her face as she watched the screaming smallfolk and Lannister soldiers run every which way, "Dracarys." The more she burned the city with the fire that streamed out of Drogon's mouth, the surer she was of herself – she was purifying the city for a new beginning. She was readying the city for a new population of people who would love her. She reminded herself this was one of the ways to show Westeros her power, the only way they would love her like she knew she wanted to be loved.

There was a small voice in the back of her mind yelling out that what she was doing was wrong; that she was killing innocents. That this was not her… that Daenerys Targaryen would never harm the innocent and the downtrodden. The voice in her head yelled out that she was not her father.

'There are no innocents… not here…' she thought to herself as she pushed that voice away. The screams of the damned – those dying and burning down in the city – were encouraging to her. She was doing the right thing after all. This was a new beginning.

She continued to remind herself of all the slights to her and her brother as they begged for a place to stay or for food. As the streets and buildings burned, she was reminded of the times when people in the Free Cities meant to help them would capitalize on their names for their own purposes. And once the two had served their uses, they would be thrown back onto the streets and forced to beg again.

'I will free the people who made me suffer from their existence… just like I am freeing Kings Landing… just as I will free Westeros.'

Daenerys Stormborn would go on to devastate Kings Landing before she would burn her Hand, Tyrion Lannister for betraying her in freeing Jamie Lannister. In the back of her mind, there was another voice telling her to execute Aegon for betraying her but that voice was hushed just as quickly.

It was in the devastated throne room, where ash and snow continued to fall all around her, that Aegon approached her.

"Have you seen what's happening out there?!" Aegon exclaimed with eyes full of anger as he pointed at the entryway to the throne room, "Men, women, children, all burnt! What have you done Dany?!"

Dany expected this reaction from him. Despite his anger at her, Dany knew that Aegon would support her reasoning. The two of them were Dragons after all.

"What needed to be done," she replied. Dany saw his eyes widen while she walked towards down the steps from the Iron Throne towards him, "it was unfortunate, I admit…"

"Unfortunate?" Aegon narrowed his eyes, "you…"

Dany raised her left hand, signalling him to stay quiet so that she could continue, "the people of Kings Landing would have continued serving Cersei. They would have rose up again me and my army, your Northmen included."

"The Lannister forces surrendered," Jon said shaking his head, his voice sounded desperate – as if begging her to see reason from his point of view, "they put their weapons down, Dany."

"And since when have Lannisters ever kept their word," Dany said. She could see that Jon was about to answer, but she continued before he could respond, "the Lannisters sacked this city when it first fell – they raped and pillaged while, at the same time, murdering my brother's wife and his two children." The more she spoke, the more angry she became, and the more angry she became, the more she lowered her voice until she growled out, "They used the throne my ancestors built to accumulate their power, and then they killed the Usurper when it was convenient."

"Dan.."

"The Lannister's killed Ned Stark," Dany barked, and Jon stopped talking – however he was panting as he stared at her while she closed her eyes and collected her thoughts while controlling her breathing. Opening her eyes once again, Dany spoke in a calm voice, "if my reports are correct, they conspired with the Freys and Boltons to murder Robb Stark, his mother, his wife and unborn child, as well as the army loyal to him. The Lannisters plundered and tore apart this country. They betrayed me when Cersei swore…"

"That was Cersei's betrayal," Jon countered, "the entire House…"

"Cersei represents the entirety of House Lannister," Dany said, "she betrayed me, as did Jamie Lannister and… and Tyrion."

She saw Aegon look away with anguish etched on his face. She knew that he and Tyrion had become good friends, but the dwarf's betrayal cut deep. Very deep. He had to pay for his treachery.

"Every advice he gave me weakened my position and strengthened House Lannister's," Dany said as she raised her chin, daring Jon to counter her. But he didn't, and so she continued on. "And I would not have offered him exile… he was exiled once, and that is how he was brought to me. Instead of being thankful that he was in my service he chose to betray me once we reached Westeros."

"He never betrayed you, Dany," Aegon said with a look of anguish, "he made some mistakes, yes… but he…"

"And then there is the matter of your lineage," Dany said as Jon's eye opened wide, "I told you not to tell anyone. But you had to tell Sansa and Arya… Sansa who has never like me, nor has she shown me any respect."

"Dany…"

"Silence!" she hissed, and Jon narrowed his eyes as she continued, "she betrayed you and I…. she spread that secret to Tyrion, who then spread it to Varys. She is responsible for their deaths! Who knows how many people in Westeros knows the truth, which means I cannot harm you or else I will become a kinslayer."

"They are my family, Dany," Jon shook his head, "I am angry with Sansa… I am disappointed that she would betray me like this… especially when she swore in front of the Heart-tree in the godswood. But she, Arya, and Bran are still my family. The last of the Starks."

"They have to be punished," Dany said while widening her eyes, "Bran had no right to tell you what he did, not unless he wished me to not take the throne. He betrayed the Queen… his Queen. And I had reports that Arya rode off before she could be confronted… she was probably here to kill me on Sansa's orders."

"Arya was here?" Jon asked surprised, to which Dany formed a small smile on her face.

"I can be happy you were not included in the plot to have me killed," she said before Jon widened his eyes in surprise, "after all why would Sansa have sent her sister, who I am told is a Faceless Man, if not to kill me."

"You know that is not true," Jon said shaking his head, "you and I know that is…"

"Then why did Arya leave in a rush?" Dany asked as she tilted her head while placing a hand on Aegon's cheek, "simple, because she failed. For the first time, a Faceless Man failed in assassinating a target."

"Dany…" Jon begged shaking his head, "she was here to probably kill Cersei, not you. Please…"

"You know I am right, Arya came here to kill me… and when she realized she could not, she turned tail and ran."

"That is not true, Dany!"

"Then how would you punish Sansa?" Dany asked, "she has already poisoned the North against me… you know it, and I know it…"

"Dany, please… you know she would not…"

"I don't know her that well," Dany reminded him, "but you do. Do you think she would not spread poisonous words against me throughout the North so that you would be forced to claim the throne?"

"I don't want the Throne," Jon countered.

"Would that matter to Sansa?" Dany asked, and Jon looked away, "would that matter to the North, whose Lords would probably want to repel the foreign invader and install a Targaryen king who was raised in the North by the honourable Ned Stark? Do you really think Sansa has not thought about it?"

Dany saw Jon hesitate for a moment before he looked back towards Daenerys and said that the Starks would never bend the knee. Instead, while he was begging her to send them into exile, an idea formed in her mind. It was a way to get rid of the sharp thorn that she knew the Starks had become. It was a way to also bring the North to heel, 'I have a dragon. And they do not. Even if they decide on building scorpions, it would take for it would do them no good.'

"Before he burned Tyrion told you that I would kill them," Dany said coldly as she took a step forward, "however, Ned Stark sacrificed his honour to protect you, my last living family. So no… I will not kill them. And I will not ask them to bend the knee." Dany saw Jon visibly relax, "you have convinced me, my love. I will offer them exile."

"Thank you, my Queen."

"But if they refuse, then they will burn," Dany said. Aegon asked that he leave for Winterfell as soon as possible so that he could give Sansa, Arya, and Bran her ultimatum. He said that Sansa would not like it, but she would come around in order to protect Arya and Bran.

Dany nodded her head before taking a step back.

"You bent the knee as Jon Snow," she said as the two of them stood alone in the Throne Room, "bend the knee once again and then rise as Aegon Targaryen, the sixth of his name, and Consort to the Queen."

Daenerys could see the man she saw both as a betrayer and as her love go slowly down on one knee. Her mind was already connected to Drogon and ready to give an order to her child to kill the man she loved in the event he refused. She mentally told herself that nothing would stop her from freeing Westeros, and then the world.

"Am I your Queen?"

"You are… you are my Queen," Aegon answered nodding his head.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"I name you, Aegon Targaryen, sixth of his name, Prince Consort," Daenerys stepped back from Aegon and lifted her chin, "rise, my love." As he rose, Daenerys thought to herself, 'there will be no offer of exile, my love. I know they will continue to rebel against me even if I had the intention to exile them; so no, there will be no exile. They will meet dragon fire, and they will burn. And then… then I will punish the North… I will cure the poison that Sansa has spread.'

Dany stepped forward and kissed Aegon, the latter's arms slowly, hesitantly, wrapping around her as he returned the kiss. All the while, she thought to herself, 'For a dragon fears nothing in breaking a promise, not even the judgement of the gods.' As seconds passed, their kiss became more and more passionate. And before long, moans of pleasure could be heard from the throne room.

A month after Jon swore his fealty once again, Daenerys and Aegon began the month long journey towards the North with all of her Dothraki and half of her Unsullied – the other half were overseeing the rebuilding of Kings Landing with some of the Dornish Spearmen while the Iron Islanders were guarding the Blackwater. It would be about a month's journey to return to Winterfell, and during that time they stopped at many of the keeps and castles on the way for Lords and Ladies so that they could swear fealty to the Targaryens once again. At Castle Darry, Daenerys reminded Aegon in no uncertain terms once again that if Sansa, Arya, and Bran should not choose exile… then they would burn. She then said that she would be sending ravens to all the Lords of the North and ordering them to meet at Winterfell.

"You will send messages as well," Dany said as she looked up into Aegon's grey eyes while their arms held each other tight as they lay together in one of the chambers in Castle Darry, "they will listen to you. Tell them to come to Winterfell to witness your sister's exile or her burning… whichever one she chooses."

"Aye," Aegon whispered, "she'll choose exile, my queen. I will beg her if I have to but… but you would have to convince her as well, your Grace."

"Me?" Dany felt her expression hardening as she stared at Aegon, "I will not…"

"She doesn't know you, none of them do," Aegon explained, "I warned you, your Grace, that Northerners are hard to get onside, and very wary of outsiders. For the past few years, the wars started by the South have devastated the North, so we don't have any…"

"We?"

"Like it or not, I am still a Northerner, your Grace," Aegon reminded her before continuing, "I love you because I have seen the person you could be, Dany." Dany felt her heart warm at the look of love on Jon's face as he continued, "you can show the people the kind of Queen you can be if you are the one to offer my sisters and brother exile. You also have to make up for what happened in Kings Landing, your Grace."

"I did what…"

"A part of me cannot accept excuses for what happened out there, but I also know that in war… in war things happen," Jon whispered, "I can help you regain any lost confidence in you by the people. But it has to begin with you offering my sisters and brother exile. Show them that you are the Queen I know you are."

Dany nodded her head, a smile on her face while her heart hardened. Her lips moved and said, "I will speak to Sansa and your siblings, I will offer them exile," while her mind imagined Sansa, Arya, and Bran burning in Drogon's flames, 'no exile. I will not offer them anything. Fire and blood, I will burn them all. I will burn any who oppose me. And I will rule without any dissent. I will bring about peace. True peace where I will be loved by all.'

**Winterfell, two months after burning of Kings Landing.**

"Have you and your people found Bran and Arya?" Sansa said before looking over her shoulder at the dragon queen. Daenerys steeled her expression as Sansa turned around; the Stark girl was discovered in her chambers sewing by her Dothraki – Daenerys had given orders in front of Aegon that when found, Sansa and the other Starks were not to be harmed.

And here she was, appearing as if she was in control of the entire situation. Daenerys stood tall as well, her chin thrust outwards towards the traitor. She had the Dothraki and the Unsullied scouring the surroundings for Arya and Bran, 'and if they are on the way to White Harbour, then they will perish when that city is punished.'

"So Bran was correct," at this Daenerys narrowed her eyes, "you told Aegon…"

"It is no longer Jon then?" Daenerys found herself asking even though she swore not to speak to the traitor.

"You named him Aegon Targeryen, sixth of his name, after ordering him to swear fealty to you once again," Sansa spoke with a cold edge in her voice, "as far as I am concerned, he is the one who betrayed the North."

"And you betrayed your queen."

Sansa chuckled; and this act made Daenerys even angrier.

"Bran told me… or rather the Three Eyed Raven told me what happened throughout your life," Sansa spoke as Daenerys stood still, "from your childhood, to your brother's descent into madness to you having released slaves in Slavers Bay…"

"The Bay of Dragons," Daenerys corrected Sansa, "and this conversation ends now."

"You earned the love of the slaves you freed," Sansa continued while Daenerys turned and motioned towards the Dothraki to grab Sansa. Still she continued as the two guards entered her chambers with their arakhs by their sides, "and you expected the same when you arrived in Westeros. You expected to be greeted with glad tidings and words of fealty."

"I am the rightful queen of the Seven Kingdoms," Daenerys found herself saying as the Dothraki grabbed Sansa's arms, "I…"

"Against my advise, the man I once knew as Jon Snow went to treat with you," Sansa said before wincing in pain as the fingers around her arms on either side tightened their grip. Sansa glared at the Dothraki and then at the Queen once again, "he told you of the threat to the North… and yet you still wanted him to bend the knee. He told you of the danger coming towards the land, and yet your mind was still on the throne." Daenerys clenched her hands into fists as Sansa continued with a look of disgust, "even when Aegon showed you the paintings of the First Men and the White Walkers in the cave of dragonglass in Dragonstone, you…"

"Bran told you," Daenerys hissed out.

Sansa smirked, "you offered your aid, as long as Aegon bent the knee." Sansa shook her head, "even though you had seen evidence of the danger, your mind was always on the Iron Throne."

"It is mine by right," Daenerys answered.

"Aegon is the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms," Sansa said, the redhead taking particular pleasure in the rage on Daenerys' face, "even if he parrots the words you told him to parrot, even though you told him to hide his real identity because YOU wanted the Throne..." Sansa shrugged and continued, "even if he keeps on saying he doesn't want it." Sansa shook her head and said, "none of that matters, it is his duty."

"The Throne is mine by right," Daenerys hissed as she leaned took a few steps towards Sansa and then leaned forward and hissed, "I sacrificed everything for it. It is my right... my destiny. This is what I was born to do - to rule over what is rightfully mine."

Sansa felt rage taking her heart as she glared at Danerys.

"And you say you came North because of Aegon and your love for him when you really should have come because you were concerned for the whole country," Sansa took a deep breath and then calmed before continuing, "what a Queen you are." Daenerys remembered everything she said to Sansa in their private meeting, "you were complaining about losing your dragon to the Night King, about the sacrifice you made in the war when it was a sacrifice you would have had to make even if you had taken Kings Landing first." Daenerys was about to answer when Sansa powered through, "or are you saying you would have risked the North falling to the dead so that you could gain the Throne before entering the war."

Daenerys felt her anger dissipating once Sansa finished. She felt calmness taking over as she thought of what Sansa just said. Daenerys remembered what she said in the map room in Winterfell after the war was over, that she had sacrificed her dragon and her army for the North's War. She didn't think of it as a war for Westeros, instead it was to save the North in exchange for their support in winning the throne.

'No, Jon begged me for help,' Daenerys thought to herself, 'if he didn't, I would have had my dragons by my side. If I hadn't listened to Tyrion in approving that mission North, then the Night King would not have breached the wall with my Viseryion.' She glowered at Sansa before saying, "without Viserion, the Night King and his army would have been locked away beyond the wall. Answering the North's call killed one of my dragons, and that led to the Wall collapsing and the war against the dead."

Sansa stood silently. And Daenerys knew she had won the argument.

"For Aegon's benefit, I swore that I would offer you and your siblings exile," Daenerys said with a false smile in her lips, "I never intended to keep that promise."

"Bran told me," Sansa replied with a sigh, and the smile on Daenerys' face fell, "he told me that Aegon would believe your story of how I refused to bend the knee or be exiled."

"Where are they?" Daenerys finally demanded.

"The Three Eyed Raven has left with Brianne," Sansa said while hands still gripped her arms, "and you will never find a Girl again unless she wants to be found."

Daenerys ground her teeth in anger.

"And I will never bend the knee to a foreign despot who murders entire cities of men, women, and children."

"Then die like the traitor you are…" Daenerys stepped forward, "in fire and blood." She then nodded at the guards, "take her out of my sight." As the Dothraki dragged Sansa past her, Daenerys glanced at the warm chamber around her before she turned and followed Sansa out the door.

It would be in the hallway just outside the door when Sansa, her back to Daenerys, gave off a loud gasp while still being dragged away. It was a gasp of surprise as Daenerys saw the red-haired woman turn her head to the left and to the right whilst being dragged away without any resistance. Daenerys eyed the empty walls and wondered what it was that surprised Sansa; after all, it seemed that Bran had told her what was about to happen.

'Where are you, Brandon and Arya Stark?' she thought to herself, 'would you really stand by while your sister dies?' As she continued walking behind the traitor, Daenerys could not help but feel a sensation of being watched. It was strange… she felt as if numerous pairs of eyes were on her as she walked onwards. She felt anger... but not from herself. No this anger was from without... it was from all around her. And it chilled her to the bone.

As for Sansa, she stayed silent the rest of the way. And as she did, Daenerys reminded herself that the North would be punished… even if they begged forgiveness, they would pay the price for betraying the Dragons. With what was coming for the North, the other Kingdoms should learn to fear her wrath. And once they understand that fear, they would grow to love her.

'Fire and blood,' Daenerys thought as she glared at Sansa, 'fire and blood.'

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Sansa; two months ago, Winterfell godswood; the day Kings Landing burned.**

Sansa was sitting on the great rock to the left of the Heart-tree and staring down at the reflection of herself against the silver pool in front of her. Arya was already in Kings Landing and, Sansa hoped, on her way to kill Cersei; after all, her little sister still had insisted on finishing her list after she saved the world by killing the Night King. With Arya gone to Kings Landing, Sansa and Bran were the only Starks left in Winterfell. With that thought, Sansa glanced at her brother seated on the wheelchair with his head pulled back… his eyes rolled back into his skull.

Bran being the 'Three-Eyed Raven' made Sansa uncomfortable… it was as if Bran was looking into the souls of any person he would lay his eyes on. However, no matter how much Bran would profess to being the Three Eyed Raven… Sansa would keep telling herself that Bran was her brother. A brother who was stranger than Arya but her brother nevertheless. Looking back at the reflection of herself, Sansa took in a deep breath before thinking to herself that she had done the right thing in telling Tyrion about Jon being the true heir to the Iron Throne.

Sansa was very aware of the promise she made to Jon, and she was hesitant in revealing that secret to Tyrion. But once she was certain of Tyrion's fear of the Mother of Dragons, she knew there was no choice but to tell him the truth. Before making her decision, Sansa recalled once telling Jon that she would never make the same mistakes as her father and Robb. She was not going to place honour over the safety of her family; and so, she told Tyrion that that Jon the rightful heir to the Throne and he was the one who should lead the country. She still remembered the look of stunned silence on the face of the dwarf. And then came the stammering before Tyrion shook his head and said that they would not talk about Daenerys in the open.

However, the two of them dd not speak about it again; mainly because he left with the soon-to-be Queens retinue soon after. Sansa was also certain that Tyrion didn't know what to say that would convince her that Daenerys was the better option.

'They should have placed Kings Landing under siege by now,' Sansa thought to herself as she stared at her own reflection. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before opening them again. She stared at the silver pond; she stared at the reflection of the tired young woman staring back at her. She didn't dare make any plans for the future; not until she was certain that at least Jon and Arya were safe and sound.

Closing her eyes again, Sansa thought back to the day in the Godswood a few days after the dead and the Night King were defeated at Winterfell. She and Arya were staring at Bran in stunned silence after he said that Jon was the legitimate son, and heir, of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

**Sansa, Winterfell Godswood. A few weeks before the burning of Kings Landing.**

"Doesn't matter…." Arya growled looking back at Jon who was about to say that he had never wanted to be a Targaryen, that all he ever wanted to do was become a Stark, "you are still my brother."

"Jon," Sansa said with a racing heart, "I told you and I meant it, you will always be a Stark to me."

"You can never tell this to anyone," Jon repeated looking at both Arya and Sansa, and then at Bran, "no one can know."

Sansa and Arya glanced at each other, the two feeling the other's unease. At least Sansa hoped that her sister was feeling her unease. The redhead then looked back over at Bran who was staring at Jon with emotionless eyes before he turned to look straight at her.

"He has made his choice, Sansa," Bran said. Sansa breathed in deep before shaking her head and then looking back at Jon who was frowning at her.

Jon took a step forward and said, "now, about the meeting in the War Room. Sansa, you must watch what you say in front of the Queen, we cannot afford to…"

"I must watch what I say?" Sansa narrowed her eyes while Arya reached out and gently grabbed Sansa's arm, silently telling her to let it go. But the Lady of Winterfell did not want to let it go, and so she continued, "pray tell what did I say in the War meeting that was so insulting?"

"I swore the that the North would fight for her if she helped us…"

"If she considers herself the Queen, then she should have offered to help in the first place," Sansa said as she mentally scream why he didn't understand her unease about Daenerys, "which I admit that she did help after having seen the dead when she and her dragons rescued you and the others on that ill-advised Wight-hunt."

"It wasn't ill advised," Jon said shaking his head, "I already told you, we had to convince Cersei…"

Sansa took in a deep breath to gather herself before saying, "And she didn't send her army, which I would have told you if you asked for my advice."

"Sansa, he can't..." Arya attempted to say before she was interrupted by Sansa.

"Not that my opinion matters much anyway," Sansa continued, ignoring the gentle squeeze on her arm by her sister while Bran watched without an expression on his face, "and I have given her my condolences for the death of one of her dragons. A dragon the Night King used to devastating effect, if I may add."

"San…"

"Then," Sansa continued, feeling a rage building up inside her as she recalled the scorn on Daenerys' face when the latter said that the North would be betraying their Queen if the Northern Army did not march with them to Kings Landing within the next couple of days, "she complains that she lost a dragon and half of her army fighting the North's war… she tells me that she came here because she loves you, to fight your war."

Jon pressed his lips together before saying, "It is the North's war… if we didn't hold back the dead then the North would have…"

"Fallen?" Arya whispered as she looked back at Jon. The latter looked back at her in surprise, "Jon, Daenerys and her army, and her dragons, fought with us against the dead. They died with Northerners in holding back the dead."

"I meant what I said," Sansa whispered as she felt her expression easing whilst agreeing with Arya, "the people who sacrificed their lives… all of them, be they Northern or Essosi, will be remembered for all time."

Arya nodded her head, agreeing with Sansa before continuing, "she already considered this a Northern war… that she was saving our lives as if she owed us a favour. She hasn't been seeing this as a war to protect the Seven Kingdoms… her eyes have always been on the Iron Throne and damn everything else. And now she's demanding we return the favour… a favour, Jon. That is all this has been to her."

"And that is what has pushed her to help us defeat the dead," Jon said, "it doesn't matter if she was thinking about the country or not, she…"

"It doesn't?" Sansa asked as she narrowed her eyebrows.

"That is not what I meant," Jon said shaking his head, "and you know that. She would be the Queen of all Seven Kingdoms."

"We just finished the fight a week ago," Arya said as Sansa bit her lower lip and looked away. She stopped herself from saying that Jon was in the thrall of the Dragon Queen, just as many of the other people who were around her. However, she had the sense to know that saying such a thing would be hurtful to Jon… so Sansa kept silent and let Arya speak, "and all Sansa suggested was that the armies wait."

"We swore…"

"You swore," Sansa countered, emphasizing the 'YOU' as Arya sighed and looked over at Bran who was himself staring up at Sansa, "and forgetting all of that…" Sansa didn't want to bring up the fact that she wasn't included in any of Jon's decisions before she continued, "am I wrong in saying that the Commanders would know best if their people are…"

"Daenerys is the commander of the armies that are due to leave for Kings Landing!" Jon exclaimed before Sansa snapped her mouth shut, her eyes coldly staring at Jon. Sansa felt a sudden chill enveloping her entire body, she was fighting everything in her to keep from trembling at the hint of anger in Jon's voice. She was keeping herself from yelling back at him that he was the true commander of the armies, that he was the true heir and that it was his duty to sit on the throne. But Sansa didn't say any of that.

Instead, she felt her heart racing and her jaw tightening as she and Jon locked eyes. She could hear Arya saying calmly that Sansa had a point, that the army needed to rest. But Jon was glaring at Sansa… and while she could tell from his facial features and body movement that his anger was slowly subsiding; however, Sansa felt that hers was only growing.

"Sansa…"

"You do what you think is best," Sansa ground out as she rolled her hands into fists before she started walking past Jon.

"Sansa," Jon grabbed her arm just as she was about to walk past. Sansa turned towards him, and then looked down at the fingers that were wrapped around her upper arm. Looking back up at Jon, she could see on his expression that he needed her support for what was coming after Kings Landing would be taken, "I never wanted the Throne. I still don't want it despite… despite…"

"It's your duty?" Arya said before Sansa looked over at her, and then back at the silent Bran, and then at Jon.

"I don't want it, even if it is my duty," he repeated at Arya, "she's our Queen, and the throne is hers." He then turned to Sansa and said, "after she takes Kings Landing, she'll want you to bend the knee."'

"Jon…" Arya said shaking her head.

"If you love me as your brother," he stared at Sansa before turning towards Arya and then at Bran, and then back at Sansa, "I need all of you to bend the knee. Bend the knee and we can live in peace. She'll never come North and…"

"She'll want to keep you close… you do realize that," Arya said, "you are a threat to her, and…"

"That's why I'll stay close to her, I'll make sure she never comes North," Jon said nodding at Arya before he turned towards Sansa again. The latter could see that he was silently begging her, "bend the knee, Sansa. Please."

Sansa could feel the fingers grabbing her upper arm loosening. She slipped her arm out of his grasp and stood tall. Jon was asking her to forget all about independence for the North… to be subservient once again to a ruler who had no right to the throne, not while the Heir was still alive. She could already see the North suffering under Targaryen rule as it did under the Lannisters… she could already see devastation coming with Daenerys doing everything possible to keep her grip on the Iron throne. She could already see Jon's death… she knew it in her heart that he would die; it was only a question of the role Daenerys would play in his death.

In her heart, Sansa knew that no matter what happened next, the North would lose. It was just a matter of how badly… and how many more people would lose their lives.

"Sansa, please, just bend the knee when the time comes."

"Jon, this is a death wish for you," Arya said shaking her head, "you…"

"Bran," Sansa said as she tore her eyes away from Jon and turned to her crippled brother, "what do you see?"

"The future is a blur," Bran said – unknown to Jon, Sansa, and Arya, it was a lie. He saw himself sitting on the Iron Throne before an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity followed. He saw Kings Landing burning… he saw Jon killing Daenerys… he saw Sansa become the Queen in the North while Jon went into exile. He saw the invasion of the Second Sons led by Daario Naharis and a few more sell-sword companies within the next three years; but what remained of the forces of Westeros would drive them back. It would unite the country like never before under the Three Eyed Raven. But Bran could not reveal this information… doing so would mean changing the future he thought the best option. The only option.

In the meantime, Sansa looked back at Jon before walking away without saying a word.

"Sansa!" Jon reached out for her; however, his hand missed her shoulder just as Arya pulled him back. Sansa was walking at a steady pace away from Jon and the others, but she could still hear Arya's voice being carried in the wind.

"Just leave her be, Jon," Arya had said.

"Arya, you need to speak to her," Jon jumped in, "you must, please."

"I do not control Sansa," Arya then said, her voice continually carried by the wind to Sansa's ears as she walked off, "but I can tell you this, Jon." Sansa imagined Arya looked up at Jon before continuing, "if the dragon Queen hurts Sansa in any way, I will kill her."

"Ary..."

"She will not see me coming," Arya said as the younger daughter of Eddard Stark walked past a stunned Jon, "no one will see me coming."

**Sansa; two months ago, Winterfell godswood; the day Kings Landing burned.**

It was Bran's gasp that brought Sansa out of her thoughts and her gaze back towards her brother.

"Bran? What is it? Did you see Jon? Is he and Arya safe?" Sansa's voice relayed her worry.

Bran was panting as he closed his eyes for a few more seconds before he leaned back against the back of his chair and turned his head towards Sansa. By the Seven and the Old Gods how she felt uncomfortable by the blank stares Bran would have etched on his face after his visions. Sansa stood up off the rock and then strode towards her brother who shook his head.

"Daenerys burned Kings Landing," Bran said as Sansa gasped before she stopped and opened her eyes wide in shock; her mouth hung open as well as a chill went through her body, "most of the city is still burning and…"

"How… how many people… how many died?"

"The majority of men, women, and children are dead," Bran said as he turned his wheelchair around to face Sansa. Sansa looked away from Bran before she tried to imagine what it would have taken for the Dragon Queen to go to such lengths to murder the population of an entire city. And it was the next part that chilled Sansa as Bran said, "and she blames you."

"What?" Sansa exclaimed before shaking her head but before she could say anything else, Bran revealed even more information.

"Arya is wounded, she is returning to Winterfell as we speak whilst barely hanging on to one of the horses that belonged to the now decimated Golden Company," he said as Sansa widened her eyes at him with an expression of worry on her face, "Cersei and Jamie Lannister are dead, buried under the Red Keep; Lord Tyrion is dead as well, burned by the Dragon Queen, and…"

"Tyrion is dead?" Sansa whispered, "why? Why would…"

"Ser Jamie was caught by her army, and Lord Tyrion set him free," Bran said, "he did not agree with the burning of Kings Landing, and… and at the end he threw the pin signifying his role as the Hand of the Queen to the ground in anger. That act signed his death warrant."

Sansa shook her head in disbelief. She was right; Tyrion did have a reason to fear Daenerys. And now, Sansa had a reason to fear her too… it was because of her belief that Jon was the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms.

"And Jon… what did he do… now that he has seen the destruction caused by the…"

"He bent the knee," Bran said as he stared into Sansa's shocked eyes.

"He bent the knee," mumbled Sansa who suddenly felt dizzy. 'He bent the knee… after she murdered hundreds upon hundreds of thousands? He bent the knee?' She stumbled back thanks to shaking legs before sitting back down on the rock next to the pond and whispered, "he bent the knee?"

"Yes," Bran said before looking away, "we must speak again once Arya has arrived, what I say next is for all of us."

"Bran," Sansa said between deep breathes, "is she coming back here?"

"With fire and blood."

Sansa took one last deep breath before standing up onto her feet, "I will have Brianne lead a few riders to meet Arya halfway. They will accompany her back to Winterfell, and then we will speak, Brother."

Bran nodded his head before he looked away and turned his chair back towards the Heart-tree. His face was expressionless, and it pained Sansa. Not as much as it pained her to hear Jon bending the knee once again to Daenerys, especially after what she had done to Kings Landing. Turning away from her brother, at least the brother she still hoped was somewhere inside the being calling himself the Three Eyed Raven, Sansa tried to keep her breathing steady as she walked away placing one foot after another down on the snow covered ground.

All Sansa could do now was head towards the castle so that she could deploy Brianne and other riders to meet with Arya. In the meantime, Bran's eyes rolled back as he accessed the power of the Three Eyed Raven. And unknown to Sansa, in his minds eye Bran saw her scream in pain as she burned in dragon fire. And he had no reaction to that revelation.

**Sansa; Arya's Chamber, a few weeks after the burning of Kings Landing.**

It had been three weeks since Arya was brought back to Winterfell, her lithe body barely holding on to the reigns of the white horse as it galloped towards the North. Once Brianne and the others found her near the entrance to the Neck, they accompanied her back to Winterfell. Upon reaching the Winterfell, Arya would be unconscious for three days under the care of Maester Wolkan. She would wake up on the fourth day for a few hours when she would be fed drinks and soft food by Sansa, Wolkan, and Sam before falling unconscious once again. This would continue for the next few days before she was sitting up on her bed without assistance on the eighth day.

With Arya now more alert and sitting up on the bed unaided, Bran was wheeled into her chambers accompanied by Podrik, Brianne, Sam, and Sansa. When they all gathered in her chambers, Arya told them all what happened whilst she stared at the fur lined blanket covering her legs, and a haunted look in her eyes. They all listened in stunned silence as she spoke of the burning of Kings Landing and the sacking of the city.

And then Bran spoke. He explained how he had lied – that the future he had seen was different than the one taking place now. A future where Sansa was the Queen in the North, he was the King of the Six Kingdoms, and Jon was exiled to satiate the anger of the Unsullied and the Dothraki for the murder of Daenerys. All of them listened as Bran explained how the Second Sons would convince several other Companies to invade Westeros to avenge the death of Daenerys.

They all listened as Bran calmly spoke of how the country repelled the invaders, how Jon played a key role as the uniting force between the North and the South. The war would be quick and bloody, but the result would have been a Westeros that would have been peaceful and prosperous in the aftermath.

"Jon would have forgiven you, Sansa," Bran said, "the two of you would have ruled the whole North together."

Sansa closed her eyes and shook her head. She didn't want to know what could have been, she wanted to know what would happen now. She already received ravens from the other houses that spoke of the Dragon Queen and her Consort, Aegon, telling them to lay down their arms and bend the knee. She needed to know what would happen next. She needed to prepare. And as much as she would sometimes feel uncomfortable with Bran's gifts… she had urgent need of them now.

And Sansa knew better. She knew that Daenerys wouldn't let the Northern Lords off that easily; 'she would demand changes. Perhaps she would take hostages to ensure compliance.'

"No…" Arya said after Bran revealed that Jon bent the knee once again and rose back up to his feet as Aegon, "not after what she did. He would never…"

"To protect us," Bran said as he stared at Sansa who stared back at him with a racing heart, "he convinced the Dragon Queen to exile us."

"He did what?!" Sansa stood up off Arya's bed and onto her feet while Arya and the others could only stare at Bran with dumbfounded expressions. Those expressions turned to horror when Bran continued speaking before Sansa could say anything else.

"She has lied to Jon," Sansa heard Bran speaking over her anger at Jon - no, now he was Aegon - and Daenerys both. They dared exile her and her family from the North…. From the place the Starks have lived for over eight thousand years even before there was a Valerian Freehold, before the Dragonlords were Dragonlords. And what Bran said next had everyone gasping before looking over at her, "and she intends to burn Sansa to…"

"No!" Arya exclaimed turning her head towards Bran, "no! Jon would never agree to that… I… I know him. He loves us, he would never…"

"Unless he doesn't know, as Lord Bran explained, my Lady," Brianne said, her eyes were staring at Sansa. Sansa could feel all eyes focused on her as she stared at the floor, her heart stopped… she felt as if she was floating just over her body while her ears picked up Arya yelling at Bran that he was wrong. But Sansa knew deep in her heart that this was the endgame… she already expected this if Daenerys won the war against Cersei. It didn't mean that she wasn't angry about it… instead, a part of her felt betrayed.

'Jon saw her destroy Kings Landing from what Bran said,' Sansa thought, 'and he had the chance to kill her. Bran said that he couldn't control the human heart… so Jon let his love for her guide him.'

"Sansa!" Arya yelled out at her. The redhead got out of her thoughts as she heard the 'thump-thump, thump-thump' of her own heart beating wildly. She looked over at the angry scowl on Arya's face as the latter said, "it has to be a trick. Jon would never go along with this… not…"

Sansa was terrified of dying. But she was aware that she had broken Jon's confidence, even if it was for what she believed to be good reasons. She stared at Arya in silence before looking at Bran who was staring back at her. Sansa suspected that Daenerys really wanted her out of the way… and if she could get to Bran and Arya, it would be a bonus.

"What about Arya and you, Bran?"

"Sansa!" Arya exclaimed while Sansa raised her hand, signalling her sister to be silent. Sansa glanced at the scowl on Arya's face before looking away toward Bran.

"My Lady," Brienne said while Podric and Sam stared in silent worry. Sansa ignored them. She had to… if she did not, then she would end up sobbing in front of them. And she did not want that to happen. She glanced at the worry on Sam's face, and felt sorry for the man. Jon was his best friend, and now… well, Sansa didn't know how he would feel. And for now, she found it didn't matter. All felt was numbness throughout her body.

"There will be no more Starks," Bran said in his usual calm voice, "I am already the Three-Eyed Raven, Arya will fully become No-One, and you…" Sansa saw Bran hesitant for an instant… and a part of her was relieved that her brother was someone in that body sitting in the wheeled chair. Bran simply looked away while Arya was ordering Podric to get her leather armour and to ready a horse.

"Daenerys will be coming for me," Sansa whispered before telling Podric that she was in command and that Arya would not be leaving for King Landing again. Sansa glanced at the anger in Arya's face directed at her before she looked at the floor. Sansa did everything she could to hide the terror she was feeling inside. And so, she straightened her back and stood regally – now, she was the Lady of Winterfell and her word was to be followed to the letter. She turned to Brienne and said, "I am the one she wants… Ser Brienne…"

"My Lady, I know you will have me…"

"Escort my brother and my sister out of Winterfell," Sansa said before turning her head away from a stunned Brianne – the latter was certain that Sansa would want a battle plan. Sansa looked over her shoulder at Arya roughly pulling the blanket away and then getting of her bed and rushing towards her, 'she's definitely not feeling as weak as when she arrived.'

"Sansa, don't be stupid, you…" Arya grabbed her arm and shook her, "you…."

"You want to kill Daenerys," Bran said as he stared at Arya who shifted her eyes from Sansa to her crippled brother, "you must not." Sansa and the others, especially an angry Arya, turned to Bran who continued, "if the Dragon Queen dies now, her Unsullied and Dothraki will raze this land. And we are very weak. We cannot hold the North. And it is not just the Essosi… the weakened North will face the might of Dorne, the Iron Islands, and anyone who supports Daenerys."

"Dorne haven't been involved in the War of the Five Kings… so they still have a full army," Sam said in realization.

"Yes," Bran nodded his head at Sam, "they have declared for her, as will many other Houses. With the burning of Kings Landing, she has the South… even if they do not like her; in fact, they fear her. And so, they will fight for her." He then took in a short breath before saying, "in the future that should have been, Jon took the blame and was sentenced to exile in the True North after Daenerys' murder. We knew it had to be done for peace. In the end, he would have returned to aid in the fight against the invasion by the Second Sons and other Essosi… we would have won and, as a result, we would have been united as never before."

"And things have changed because Jon bent the knee again," Sam said nodding his head.

"Arya kills Daenerys. She is sentenced to death, but Jon would refuse to carry out that order."

"As would I," Sansa said glaring at Bran who paused, "I would call the banners and go to war against anyone who dares…"

"Dorne would attack," Bran said, "they would ride with the Unsullied and the Dothraki… they would raze the North in our weakened state. All I see is death and destruction if Arya kills Daenerys now."

"I am not letting Sansa die!" Arya yelled at Bran before she turned to the redhead, "how can you accept this?"

"This is what will happen," Bran said in a matter of fact voice. Arya glowered at Bran before looking towards her sister.

"Sansa…"

"Your death will bring peace to Westeros, but not stability," Bran said as he looked straight at Sansa while ignoring Arya's outburst, "I am no longer a Stark, Arya will become No-One, and you will die. There will be no Stark in Winterfell, the North will fall… no matter what we try, the North will fall. And there will be consequences."

"Lady Sansa," Brianne said, "I…"

"Ser Brianne," Sansa felt her body quaking in fear. She was holding back the trembling of her arms and legs, she was forcing her voice to be steady. Sansa glanced at Arya as she continued speaking, but she was aware the youngest Stark knew the truth of how she was feeling, "Maester Samwell. The two of you are to accompany Arya and my brother to where they…"

"Brianne can accompany me to the Isle of Faces," Bran said as he turned his head towards Brianne. He then turned his head towards Sam and continued, "Sam, Gilly, and Little Sam will accompany Arya to White Harbour. She will sail to Bravos where she will be No-One."

"I said NO!" Arya yelled out, her voice reverberating through the walls.

It was then that Sansa closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she said, "Arya, I do not want to see you and Bran die."

"Fuck what Bran says about the future, I…"

Sansa frowned before she barked, "Arya!" At the tone, Arya stopped what she was about to say and scowled at Sansa who continued, "I understand you do not want to be a Lady, but I will not tolerate that language in the here and now." Arya was about to speak, but before she could, Sansa raised her voice an octave higher, "you are a Faceless Man, and their domain is in Braavos. You sincerely believe that Daenerys will follow you into Braavos to kill you? An act that could very well bring the wrath of the other Faceless Men down on her?"

"They would not care if I die," Arya countered.

"I do," Sansa whispered as she placed both hands on her sister's shoulders.

"Sansa," Arya whispered looking up at her with shimmering eyes… tears were starting to gather in the eyes of the Faceless assassin, "this is madness."

"I believe the Faceless Men would retaliate if the deed was done on their own doorstep," Sansa said, this time gently as she changed the subject, "she would not dare attack you if you are in Braavos. I know it."

"And there would be a time when you are needed once again, Arya," Bran said.

"When would that be?" Arya, who was rubbing her eyes, and Sansa both asked; the two girls having had no knowledge of this beforehand.

Bran looked at Sansa and then at Arya before saying, "you will know when the time comes. I shall be there alongside you, Arya. Except I will be flying."

"But Sansa…" Arya whispered at Bran before turning her head towards her sister, "you will…"

"I will be with mother and father, Robb and Rickon, and the rest of our family," Sansa whispered. Her heart beat was slowing down as she slowly accepted that she was going to die. Nothing would save her. She knew that Arya could… but if Bran was right, then that would bring about war much earlier. 'But then again, Bran was wrong about him sitting on the Iron Throne… the Mad Queen sits there now plotting our destruction. Perhaps we could change the future… perhaps Arya could kill her and there would be no consequence.'

Sansa saw in her mind's eye as Arya was killed by the Unsullied and the Dothraki with Jon screaming at them to stop. She could see war in the future… she could see so much death again. 'Is it worth the risk in killing Daenerys?'

The redhead took a deep breath in the silent room as everyone stared at her. "No," Sansa whispered before focusing her eyes on Arya, "I want you and Bran to live. I will ask her to spare the North…"

"She will burn the North," Bran said, "no matter what she tells you or Jon, she will burn the North."

"Bran… Sansa…" Arya whispered shaking her head, "no."

"Pod, Ser Brianne, Sam," Sansa whispered as she turned her head to look out at the snow falling out the window in the chamber, "make all necessary preparations to escort Bran and Arya." She then turned her head towards the three adults in the room, her eyes passing the stunned expression on Arya's face, "I am trusting the three of you."

"My lady…"

"I trust you with their lives," Sansa said as her eyes shifted towards Sam who looked conflicted. Sansa was aware that Jon was his best friend, so this news had affected him greatly. She was also aware that Sam was a man grown, and there was no time to coddle him with words of comfort. Sansa was also keenly aware that Sam had the kindest soul of all, and she wanted that soul to live in in the darkness that was coming, "keep them safe until they have gone where they need to go, and then… then bend the knee to Daenerys."

"My Lady…!" both Pod and Brianne exclaimed at the same time while Arya yelled out, "Sansa!"

"Lady Stark doesn't what to see the two of you… see us… killed," Sam said as he looked away in shame, "this is her way of keeping us safe."

"But…" Arya was unable to say anything before being interrupted again.

"My final order," Sansa whispered as she stared at Arya, "is that before you leave, inform the rest of the castle that they are to leave Winterfell and head South or further North. If the North is to fall, then I would have everyone begin to head South or past what remains of the Wall for their own safety. Do the same for the other Northern Lords."

"I will have Wolkan send ravens to all the Houses," Sam said, "but I have a feeling they will not listen."

Sansa took a deep breath before looking out the Window once again as she thought, 'Daenerys did what Cersei could only dream… she finally eradicated the Starks. She finally brought the North to heel.' Sansa then whispered, "Bran, tell me everything. From the time Jon left for Dragonstone, to when he bent the knee. I want to know everything that happened."

Her head still facing the window, Sansa had tears pooling in her eyes as Bran started to speak while the others listened.

**Sansa; Winterfell, present day.**

The hands gripping her arms tight were painful as she was practically pulled past Daenerys. The two women didn't even look at one another. Walking out into the hallway on the other side of the door, Sansa and the two Dothraki turned before they started to tighten their grip and pulled her along. She heard footsteps behind her, Sansa didn't look over her shoulder when the door to her chambers closed shut. She didn't look because she gasped at the sight in front of her as she momentarily stopped walking.

It was a man… a large man taller than her with a wild black beard and wild black hair down to his shoulders. Sansa stared at the grey eyes staring back at her with an expression that looked angry at first sight… however, Sansa could see real sorrow in those eyes. As she was jerked forward once again, the man stepped aside and walked alongside the Dothraki to her right. She glanced at the bearded Dothraki and then towards the other one on her left side… they didn't seem to see the other bearded man with the sharp, long facial features. The features of a Stark.

But there was something else about the man. He looked familiar somehow, but Sansa could not put her finger on in. 'What is it about him?'

"Look ahead, Child. Do not concern yourself with these barbarians, for they cannot see me," Sansa swallowed her gasp as she looked forward upon hearing the gruff voice; their footsteps… and the footsteps of the Dragon Queen behind her… were the only sounds in the hallway. The ghostly figure made no such sounds.

Her eyes widened in fear and awe as several more figures started to materialize along the walls. All of them had the same hair colour, similar garb, similar eye colouring – some were thin, some were fat, some were stout. But all of them had the Stark look. All of them had direwolves standing next to them… all of them held iron swords in their hands. Some of the wolves snarled at the Dothraki and the Queen as they walked past, and some of the men looked at Sansa with sadness in their eyes… sadness that turned to anger when they settled their gaze on the Dothraki and Daenerys behind her.

"You look so much like her…" the man walking next to her said in a surprisingly gentle voice with eyes that radiated sadness. Sansa glanced at those eyes and then looked away… it pained her to see such sorrow.

'Why do you look so familiar?'

Sansa wanted to ask who it was that she looked like, but she found her lips would not move. Instead, Sansa listened when the ghostly man asked, "do you know who I am, child?"

Sansa really didn't. How could she? How could she be seeing these men who were not seen by the Dothraki and the Dragon Queen? How? What did it mean? She glanced at the man walking just in front of the right Dothraki. She eyed the cloak he wore, the doublet made of thick wool, and then her gaze settled on the great sword on his right hip… the blade parallel to the floor. The blade itself was odd; it was a great blade of material that was not metal. Sansa thought it was sharpened crystal or ice. She could barely see through the blade, but she could see the edges… and the edges of the blade were sharp.

Her eyes then shifted away from the blade and she tried to search for other identifiers of who the man was. But she couldn't think clearly. She was about to die… and that brought about a twist in her stomach.

"You know me as Brandon the Builder, and these are the honoured dead; the dead Kings of Winter and those who would later be known to the South as the Lords of Winterfell." And that was something that she never expected to hear. Sansa looked straight ahead, her face serene – she was doing her very best to hide her true emotions; confusion, terror, anger, anguish. She wasn't going to show her emotions in front of the Dragon Queen and her Dothraki and her Unsullied; that was never going to happen. She stared straight ahead as one by one, the men and their Direwolves bowed and went down onto one knee as Sansa and the others walked past.

"Other Kings of Winter and Lords of Winterfell would see the dead… would see us… when they lay dying," Brandon said as they made a turn before walking down stone steps lined by the dead spirits of old, "they would join our ranks after being buried in the crypts."

Sansa still didn't say anything. She could hear Daenerys breathing as the latter stopped for an instance. The Dragon Queen's footsteps starting up once again a few seconds later. As they continued their walk down some stairs Sansa heard the Dothraki barking out orders in a foreign tongue before they laughed.

"I know what the Three Eyed Raven has told you," Brandon whispered, ignoring the Dothraki, as they continued until reaching the end of the stairs, "you must not do as he asked. I realize you are angry at what has happened, but there must always be a Stark in Winterfell."

No reaction from Sansa as she recalled what Bran had told her; that the Targaryen's would have their hands on Winterfell after her death. Even Jon, who has Stark blood, could hold Winterfell for his Aunt. And Sansa was angry. Very angry at the notion of the man who betrayed her… betrayed the North… holding Winterfell.

"You must not make that declaration," Brandon practically begged as Sansa glanced at him before looking away, "that declaration made a by a King or Queen of Winter…. That declaration would mean the end of everything."

Sansa furrowed her eyebrows. 'What does he mean?'

"You must listen to me, child," Brandon said as they walked into another hallway, "the Three Eyed Raven… the current Three Eyed Raven that is, hates the Targaryens for what they did to him." Sansa glanced at the first King of Winter with a look of confusion before he continued, "Brynden Rivers – Bloodraven – he was one of the reasons the Targaryens thrived. And yet they betrayed him, and sent him to the Wall. Bran is not your brother… he is Brynden Rivers. And he is angry… just as you are."

Sansa didn't know if that was true. She felt that Bran was somehow different ever since he returned with Meera Reed, but her brother's body being taken over by an ancient Targaryen bastard was a little too unbelievable. Although she had to admit she didn't know much about the Three Eyed Raven in the first place. But then again, Bran admitted that the future he had seen was different… but that was only when things had gone wrong.

But in the end, it didn't matter. She knew she would have to die. No matter what happen, Daenerys would kill her. And if the declaration she was going to make would sate Bloodraven, then she would have no problems with that. And she thought, 'let the Targaryen's die out… let them all die out!' Sansa felt enraged… she was betrayed just as Bloodraven was betrayed. And she wanted to make sure Winterfell never fell into the hands of the Targaryens. Bran already told her what would happen after the declaration was made, 'I have no problems with the Mad Queen burning down Winterfell. I rather this be charred rubble then have the Targaryens walk through the hallways.'

"If you do this," Brandon said, catching Sansa's attention once again, "you will be letting her free. I realize you are angry; I realize you feel betrayed, but your brother-cousin is the only person left with the Stark blood," Brandon stopped as they reached the bottom of the stairs which led out into the crowded main courtyard. "The Three Eyed Raven controls your younger brother, and your sister will forgo her Stark name by your request. If you make your declaration, then you will nullify who he is, and you will set HER free. And then the world will end in ice and winter."

There were hundreds of Dothraki on horseback in the courtyard while many unsullied stood tall with spears in their hands as they waited for their orders from the Queen. They were wearing full armour as the Dothraki grabbing hold onto Sansa's arms roughly pushed her forward past the lines of the armies belonging to the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Brandon stopped at the stairs as Sansa was pulled away by the Dothraki with Daenerys behind her.

Brandon was right, Sansa thought to herself; she felt betrayed and was angry. Actually, she was enraged. She was angry at so many things… at so many people; starting with her Aunt Lyanna for starting Robert's Rebellion. Sansa was angry at Ned, Robb, Catelyn, and Rickon for dying; she was angry at Arya because she would get to live without the responsibility that comes with being the Lady of Winterfell, she was angry at Bran for losing himself to whatever he was now. And she was most angered at Aegon – she was so angry that she was shaking as the Dothraki pulled her past the line of armed soldiers.

These strangers were in the home of the Starks. In her home. In her family home. They were invaders. All of them. And Sansa hated them. She felt her heart race as anger grew in her. And then, she felt a serene moment pass her by – she felt her body warm - as she continued walking.

Her eyes glanced around at the feeling of warmth permeating her body, Sansa could make out other figures with direwolves staring down at her from the battlements above. All of them went down on one knee as she walked past. All were yelling out, "the Queen of Winter…. The Queen of Winter!" And then, just as she was about to pass the main gate, Sansa locked eyes with the two figures she was angry at… but it was the sight of their forms that eased the anger away.

"Sansa," Ned whispered as she was pulled past him, "I am sorry."

The other figure looked like what Arya would look like when she would turn sixteen. 'I suppose I will never see that,' Sansa thought as she gave a small smile to the woman she knew to be Lyanna. The look on Lyanna's face was all that Sansa needed to know of the depths of Lyanna's pain in regards to what was happening now. 'And all this began with Roberts Rebellion… nothing to be done now, I suppose.'

"Niece…" Lyanna called out before Ned placed a hand on her ghostly shoulder. And then there was silence. Sansa could feel thousands of eyes on her; but she dare not turn around to see the ghosts of the buried dead staring at her.

It would be moments later that Sansa would be pulled out to several meters away outside the gates of Winterfell where there were Unsullied waiting in a line staring at her with those dead eyes showing no emotion. And then to them was a stunned Aegon staring at her.

She was released by the order of Daenerys who walked past her before talking to the Dothraki in her foreign tongue. Sansa glared at the silver haired figure as she, with her back to Sansa, looked up at the sky while walking towards the line of Unsullied as the Dothraki walked away. A few seconds later, Sansa looked up at the sky upon hearing the flapping of large leathery wings… and then there was a roar as Drogon broke through the grey clouds and dove towards the ground before landing. As Daenerys walked closer to the dragon, it roared out into the sky before stopping and laying its head just above the silver haired Queen as she turned and faced Sansa.

Sansa's heart raced as she stared at the dragon before noticing movement from Daenerys' right side.

"Your Grace, Sansa doesn't not know what she…"

"Your sister refused exile," Daenerys said sternly as she stared at Aegon, "I asked her three times… no, perhaps it was four times even… to exile herself away from Westeros. But she refused."

"She is still my kin, your Grace," Aegon bent the knee once again, his head lowered in submission; and Sansa was angry once again. She was thinking to herself that Aegon was the rightful king and here he was being subservient to someone who knew nothing about the country she was about to take over. Even Aegon's voice angered Sansa as he begged, "I am begging you to send her to forced exile. Please."

Sansa didn't speak. She wanted to say that Aegon had the perfect opportunity to stop all this even before it began. She warned him about Daenerys… but he didn't listen. She had told him that the Iron Throne was his by right, and he didn't listen. Sansa told herself that Aegon would never betray his Dragon Queen, not now… not even if she screamed at him that Daenerys was lying. After all, if he was willing to accept that she, Bran, and Arya leave Westeros in exile, then what possibility was there that he would believe anything she said.

Right now, all Sansa felt was anger as she watched Aegon looking up at Daenerys with a look that begged for some direction… as if he didn't know what he should do.

'The Jon I knew is truly dead,' Sansa thought to herself as she watched Aegon shaking his head while desperately pleading for Sansa's life as he stood back up… he pleaded for the lives of his siblings. She watched Daenerys form a look of regret on her face before placing a hand on Aegon's chest. Daenerys shook her head before looking away and then turning her body towards Sansa.

"Sansa of House Stark," Daenerys said, her expression now cold as she stared at Sansa while Drogon's head formed a shadow over Daenerys. At the same time, Jon continued begging Daenerys to reconsider. Daenerys closed her eyes and then looked back at Jon, "I offered her exile, and she refused. I cannot let that go. If I do, then it would seem I am forgiving a traitor. I am sorry, Aegon, but she has given me no choice."

"Sansa!" Aegon turned to the redhead, "just accept exile. Just… just leave Westeros. You will live, and…"

"I will never beg," Sansa exclaimed as she looked at Aegon directly just as she felt her anger rise once again before reaching a crescendo. She felt her heart racing just as the cold wind brushed against her cheeks. She felt something cold grip her heart as she continued, "Jon Snow died, Aegon. He left behind someone I do not recognize." Before Aegon could interrupt her, Sansa continued, her voice rising in anger as she turned towards the Dragon Queen, "I, Sansa of House Stark, the last Queen of Winter, the last descendent of Brandon the Builder…"

"Queen of Winter," Daenerys scoffed as Jon narrowed his eyes while parting his lips.

"In the eyes of the Old Gods, I do hereby declare," Sansa spoke despite Daenerys' scowl, and before Aegon could say anything, "Jon Snow is dead. Jon Stark is dead. I declare Aegon of House Targaryen, the Sixth of his Name, to be no Stark in name or in blood, and therefore does not hold any sway over Winterfell or the lands of the North."

"Sansa," Aegon took a step forward but was pulled back by one of the Unsullied after Daenerys nodded at the man, "you… you don't mean that… you…"

"Aegon does not need Winterfell," Daenerys said, her face scrunched up in disgust, "and you are no Queen."

"The Starks existed long before there was a Valerian Freehold," Sansa cried out with rage in her voice, "and Winter is Coming."

"Winter has been defeated."

"Winter is always coming," Sansa said as she glared at Daenerys.

"Sansa of House Stark," Daenerys stood straight and tall as befitting a ruler. As did Sansa. Over the yells from Aegon, who was being held back by three Unsullied, Daenerys formed a small smile before tilting her head and saying, "I, Daenerys Stormborne, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Breaker of Chains, sentence you to die." There was a pause for a heartbeat as the two women glared at each other.

"Dracarys." Daenerys said with cold disdain.

"Sansa!" Aegon yelled out in anguish.

Sansa watched the dragon pull back before given out a violent roar over the anguished yells from Aegon. She watched as the dragon thrust downwards with its mouth wide open, its razor sharp teeth visible. She saw the glow from deep within Drogon's throat.

Her heart raced. Her stomach turned. And her anger grew. The hate she held for Daenerys and her own situation grew.

Sansa took the last deep breath she would ever take, and blinked her eyes. When her eyes closed, it was as if her heart stopped. Now she was surrounded by darkness, the blink seemed to last ages; she expected to feel pain as her skin melted and burned away, but she felt nothing. When she opened her eyes, Sansa was surprised to find herself in a great cavern with what looked like thick white roots dangling down from above. She didn't know where she was… but she felt an unbridled rage she had never felt before. A rage that seemed to overwhelm her own rage, as well as the fear she felt somewhere deep inside her at knowing she was about to die. She looked around the cavern and noticed the grey and brown walls stained with white powder and red paint. They formed symbols that were glowing brightly.

'Old nan, drew some of these symbols when I was a child… she wanted to show us the language of the First Men.'

And then there was the audible sound of a crack. Snapping her head to the right, Sansa could see the glowing symbols going dark one after another followed by cracks developing in the wall through the middle of each symbol. The cracks continued on along the wall as the glow from more symbols faded away… darkness slowly taking over the cavern before she spun around at the sound of wood breaking apart. Sansa looked up only to see more and more of the thick roots started to fall onto the ground just before a pale body fell and hit the ground with a 'thud!' Sansa took a step back, her hands covering her mouth as the body slowly looked up at Sansa through blue eyes and a face that had its skin leathery, wrinkled and pressed down against the skull. Sansa wanted to scream as she watched the body strain itself while slowly getting up to its feet.

The figure was naked… Sansa could see the body thanks to the fading glow from the remaining symbols around her. The figure's skin pressed against her bones made Sansa shudder in fear before she stepped back again. Sansa gulped as the figured stared at her, the sides of the figure's lips seemed to curl upwards as they parted to show blackened teeth. Sansa's gaze took in the wisps of grey hair on the figures head before there was a tremble across the ground followed by more cracks from behind. Sansa looked over her shoulder at the wall… the symbols were faded away now… the cracks continuing to spread across all parts of the walls that surrounded her. Suddenly, there was a bright glow on a part of the South wall… Sansa could see outlines of the edges of a door… a door that looked as if it was sealed from the outside. Her eyes travelled to the glow on the door as the cracking of the walls around her stopped.

"A snarling direwolf," Sansa whispered before she turned towards the figure who was slowly but surely struggling to walk towards her as she whispered, "the sigil of the Starks." Sansa's eyes widened in awe and fear as the figure, who looked like a desiccated husk reached out towards her.

"The sigil of my husband," the figure rasped tilting its head at Sansa who stood still in abject fear. Sansa couldn't move, no matter how much she wished, her legs would not move. Sansa knew she was outside Winterfell facing Daenerys and Drogon, she would much rather see those monsters again than stay in this cavern. The figure then stopped a step away before its eyes turned to gaze at the glow from the direwolf on the door, before the eyes of the figure shifted back towards Sansa, "there is one more, and she will set aside her Stark name very soon. Then I will be free to walk the world as I did thousands of years ago."

"Who… who… are you? Who…"

"Alleria," the figure rasped, "Queen of the Ice Lands, wife to the one you call Brandon the Builder, mother to Brandon, Rickard, Alys, and Lysia. I was betrayed by my husband, betrayed by the Children, betrayed by the world. And I will bring the end by bring forth a darkness that will last until the end of time… a never-ending peace." The figure rushed forward and grabbed both sides of Sansa's head with her bony hands, "I am the one known by those people of R'hllor as the Great Other. Brandon, my beloved husband, before trapping me in this prison, would call me his beautiful Winter. He stopped me once. This time though, there will be no Stark to stop me."

Suddenly, Sansa felt her eyes opening. She found herself staring at the glow within Drogon's throat getting brighter and brighter. Sansa's rage slipped away. Sansa didn't know what she had seen; but all she knew was that it was evil. It was so evil. When the figure touched her, she felt the darkness that lay in its soul. It was as if that darkness, that evil, that hatred, that anger was attracted to her. She could feel something gripping her heart tight and wondered if it was Alleria's doing.

Time seemed to slow down as Sansa's mind raced. She could already see the flames appearing in Drogon's mouth.

'Alleria said that Arya was the last Stark... that she needed Arya to set aside her name just as…' It was then that Sansa realized that Brandon was right. She hadn't listened. She gave in to her anger and made a declaration as the last Queen of Winter just as Bran had directed her. Bran had lied… he had tricked her. 'Not Bran… no… not Bran. It was the Three Eyed Raven… Brynden Rivers.'

'There must always be a Stark at Winterfell,' Sansa recalled her father's saying.

"Winter is coming," Sansa whispered as those words finally made sense. She stared at the screaming Aegon who was pushing against the Unsullied holding him back. He was begging Daenerys to spare Sansa's life; but the silver haired Queen was not listening. 'What have I done,' Sansa thought to herself as her eyes widened in fear at the darkness and evil that was about to be released into the world. It was too late now as fire surrounded her. Alleria would be released… it was only a matter of time when Arya would finally set aside the Stark name.

And then Sansa realized who Brandon had reminded her off, at least before the founder of House Stark revealed his name. In her anger a few moments ago, she could not connect a name to the familiarity she saw in the figure of Brandon Stark. When Sansa turned to Jon crying out for her while he was held back… Sansa finally knew.

'Brandon looked like Jon,' Sansa thought just as fire streamed out of Drogon's mouth.

And instead of a feeling of cold around her body, Sansa felt the heat from the flames as it started to burn her clothes and then her skin.

Sansa howled out in pain as dragon fire engulfed her body. She screamed even louder when Daenerys ordered another stream of fire from Drogon. And then another stream of fire. As her eyes started to melt, along with her eye lids, Sansa swore she saw Daenerys smiling. Sansa could hear herself scream for a few more moments before her ears and face melted off and everything turned to darkness around her. Parts of the main gate were melted by dragon fire, the snow-covered grass on the scorched ground was burned away as what remained of Sansa's body lay on the ground covered in flame.

And deep underground, deep, deep, beneath the Heart Tree that served as a prison for the Great Other, there was the sound of sinister laughter. Winterfell was the site where Brandon the Builder, a little more than eight thousand years ago, imprisoned his anguished and enraged wife instead of killing her. It was the act that finally ended the Long Night. It was the site where Winter literally fell.

And now, as Sansa's body lay on the ground burning, no one knew that Winter would rise again. It would be later that a despondent Aegon remained on his knees while staring at the burning body of the girl who had been his sister. He didn't hear Daenerys give the order to the Unsullied and Dothraki to wipe out any traces of the Starks; even their memory. While the Dothraki seemed uncomfortable with the order, they still followed through the destruction of the underground crypts with the Unsullied.

Daenerys was going to wipe out all trace of the Stark name. She then went onto Drogon before flying away towards White Harbour… but not before telling the three Unsullied who remained behind to make sure that her future husband was well looked after.

It would be soon that the weather started to get colder and colder… the skies getting darker and darker. The ash that was once Sansa's body was carried with the wind past the still smouldering remains - even months after Drogon destroyed the castle - of Winterfell. Over the years, the cold increased as did the snow fall around Winterfell before spreading to the rest of the Kingdoms.

However, no matter how much snow fell, the place where Sansa once laid burning before turning to ash was never covered in snow. All that remained was a patch of grass as black as coal with white snow surrounding it. And it would be when Arya finally became No-One that there could be heard an audible tremble around Winterfell before a loud 'crack!' reverberated through the air – well, it would have been heard if anyone was still living close to Winterfell.

And then, after the crack, there came a laughter from deep within the Earth… from deep beneath the Heart tree in the Winterfell godswood. Alleria's laughter.

TBC


End file.
